BASKETBALL COACHPound The PosTTo BeaT a Zone

WEEKLY

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy August 14, 2014Issue 47

$5.99

Caution is Key in Drills Where Players are in harm’s Way

ScrEEn ThE ZonE Low, crEATE A hIgh-PErcEnTAgE ShorT JumPEr

2 Plays To GeT The Ball on The Block

Is IT TIme To sToP TeachIng The JumP sToP?

Force helP & send screener around Back For a loB

aTTack The mIddle, run shooTer BaselIne oFF douBle screen

LaMarcus aLdridge powers portLand via

Low-post sets

>

2

article from the Lousiville Post and Courier. It seems harmless enough and from just this video, it’s hard to imagine any player being injured by the coach’s passes. He’s not slinging the ball at the time. He’s not stepping into the pass to make it faster or harder.

If the player wasn’t in proper defensive position, the pass would be completed and the defensive player would have failed, so being struck by the ball actually is a positive and something you’d want to happen in a game.

Again, this is a small window into the Charleston program, so I can’t say for sure one way or another about the allegations, but this investigation should put all coaches on high alert. You need to be extra vigilant with drills where players are placed in harm’s way.

Before a drill of this nature starts, give a quick 30-second breakdown of what is about to happen. Eliminate the surprise of being hit with a basketball. Leave no doubt in your players’ minds that the drill’s intention is to teach defense.

It doesn’t matter if you think this is unnecessary - today’s game requires it. Don’t take a chance leaving a disgruntled player an opportunity to scream abuse in a drill you deem tame.

Last week, the College of Charleston men’s basketball coach Doug Wojcik was fired stemming from allegation of player abuse within the program. While there are deeper issues here, a small part of his undoing was a drill most of you use in practice.

The drill in question is one I’ve seen many coaches run. It’s called Screen Up, Screen Down. Defensive players attempt to guard their offensive assignment, who is attempting to get open for a pass by coming off up and down screens. The key is to stay between the ball and the player to be guarded, which cuts down on passing lanes and keeps the ball out of the offensive player’s hands.

Defensive players sometimes are hit with the ball in this drill as they are facing their responsibility. This is a game-like situation as the offense tries to force a pass into a tight spot beyond the defender and to the offensive receiver.

Wojcik’s legal team released a video of the drill in question (not the specific day in question but how the drill is run). You can see it here in this

Leave Nothing To Chance

Basketball Coach Weekly Issue 47

Basketball Coach Weekly9325 SW Iowa DriveTualatin, OR 97062

Editor-in-chiefMichael Austinmichael.austin@basketballcoachweekly.com

ContributorsMaChelle Joseph (WBCA book), Justin Duke

IllustrationsMike Renwick

PicturesAction Images

DesignJamie Leeson

PublisherKevin Barrowkevin.barrow@greenstarmedia.net

Customer ServicesDuncan Heardduncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

Managing DirectorAndrew Griffiths

Contents

“Eliminate the surprise of being hit with a basketball …”

In this issue...

We have discontinued using jump stops with our players, unless it’s for our posts. Despite drilling it for years, our players continue either to travel or move too slowly through the motion and get the shot blocked.

We have taught the Euro Step to our guards for the last two years and have worked on the seven-

to eight-foot floater with much more success than a jump stop.

The UConn women’s team does an almost-daily drill where a player dribbles hard at a coach, then makes a one-handed push or bounce pass to a streaking teammate who coverts a layin. They have the ball handler veer to the side of the coach and

avoid the charge. It takes a skilled athlete to make those passes.

It seems more effective than trying to teach the jump stop with players jumping over cones on the dribble. For us, the Euro Step accomplishes the same thing and is quicker. - Justin Duke, Scio High School, Oregon Elite AAU

To subscribe to Basketball Coach Weekly please contact Duncan Heard at Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK.

You can contact Duncan via Skype at basketballcoachweekly or via email at duncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

BASKETBALL COACHPound The PosTTo BeaT a Zone

WEEKLY

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy August 14, 2014Issue 47

$5.99

Caution is Key in Drills Where Players are in harm’s Way

ScrEEn ThE ZonE Low, crEATE A hIgh-PErcEnTAgE ShorT JumPEr

2 Plays To GeT The Ball on The Block

Is IT TIme To sToP TeachIng The JumP sToP?

Force helP & send screener around Back For a loB

aTTack The mIddle, run shooTer BaselIne oFF douBle screen

LaMarcus aLdridge powers portLand via

Low-post sets

>

(c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

Click here to read the full disclaimer.

Michael Austin Editor-in-chief

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 47 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY

3 PounD ThE PoST VS. ZonEUse perimeter ball movement and

make the extra pass to the block to set up easy scoring opportunities

4 ‘2 DoWn’ CrEaTES InSIDE, ouTSIDE ChanCES

Two low screens place the defense into a difficult position - create a 3-point shot and a short jumper

5 ShIfT ThE DEfEnSE, SCorE oPPoSITE

Shift the zone right then move the ball left for a corner 3-pointer or curling lob layup

6 LoW DouBLE SCrEEn oPEnS ShooTIng SPaCE

Start with all five players at the free-throw-line extended and eventually run a shooter to the opposite corner off a low double screen

Today’s players are more sensitive - be vigilant in drills where they are in harm’s way

Stop Jump StoppingQuiCK HittER

Get your perimeter players to fight the zone temptation.

You see it all the time. Defense goes into a zone. Ball swings around the perimeter. A wing has an opening for a shot and fires. Sure, open shots are great, but you don’t want to keep chucking 3-pointers when a little patience, well-timed screens, proper cutting and an extra pass or two could net you a much higher-percentage shot.

The beauty of playing against a zone is you know there are holes or gaps in it. Sure, a great zone defense covers those holes well, but they still are there. If you work the ball around the perimeter, pull some defenders away from the hoop and get the

ball to the post, then a talented forward or center is in a prime position to score.

As those defenders are shifting, your post players have the opportunity to pick their spots and call for the ball. A scrambling zone defender typically isn’t in position, so he or she has to set the feet, get the arms up and cut off scoring angles as the ball arrives.

That doesn’t mean perimeter players have to abandon the outside shot but keep it in their minds the post is a place to exploit against a zone. The two plays on the following pages set up post opportunities. There are longer-range options built into these sets but the primary goal is to pound the post.

The first play utilizes ball reversal on the perimeter leading to a dribble attack of the middle, a kick out pass and a cross-court pass to the corner resulting in a quick throw into the post to a player coming off a screen, or a wide-open look at a 3-pointer.

The second play features more perimeter ball movement to set up a dribble drive. On the drive one post screens for the other. While the defense thinks the ball is going to the crossing forward, the screener rolls around the backside for a lob pass at the rim. If the lob isn’t there, then a wing relocating into the corner has an open opportunity at a 3-pointer.

All zone defenses have holes - exploit them - especially on the post to keep your players aggressive and taking high-percentage shots

Pound The Post Vs. Zone

The post is a great place to score against a zone as the defenders are too concerned with their area and not providing help

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 47 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 3

Words by:Michael Austin

Activities by: MaChelle Joseph, reprinted with permission from WBCA Offensive Plays & Strategies via Human Kinetics

Zone Post Plays

‘2 Down’ Creates Multiple ChancesUse one player to screen twice - once to make space for a corner 3-pointer and a second time giving a forward a short jumper opportunity

WHY USE ITZone defenses don’t respond well to screens. Use a low screen in two different spots for multiple scoring opportunities.

SET UPThe best post screener is positioned on the left block. Your best shooter is on the right wing.

HOW TO PLAYThe point passes to the right wing, who passes right back then the point reverses the ball with a pass to the left wing. The post players move to the short corners [1]. The shooter runs the baseline to the opposite corner off a screen from the left-side post. The ball handler penetrates toward the elbow then kicks out a pass to the point [2]. The point passes to the shooter in the corner. The shot is taken if open. If not, then the right-side post comes hard off a low screen and sits in an open spot along the lane line for a short-jumper chance [3].

TECHNIQUETiming is critical. As soon as the left wing receives the pass, she or he penetrates to the elbow. You also don’t want the shooter waiting too long for the skip pass in the corner, so repeatedly work on the timing in practice.

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 47 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 4

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2 On the catch, the left wing penetrates to the elbow to force the defense to protect the middle

The best screener is positioned on the left block - this player is critical as she sets both screens to free both potential scorers

The shooter times out the baseline run so the ball and player arrive so

a shot is taken in rhythm

If the shot is not available, pass to the cutting post for the shorter jumper

Do not set this screen until the corner player has the ball

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

Shift the defense slightly with the initial pass to the right wing

but return it immediately to keep the defense moving

Zone Post Plays

Shift The Defense, Score OppositeUse the dribble to shift a zone right, then attack the middle to create a left-corner 3-pointer or a curling alley-oop layup

WHY USE ITIt is effective against almost any zone due to the baseline screening.

SET UPThis play works best when the player starting on the right block is capable of screening and pinning the defender, as well as scoring against physical contact. Place your best shooter on the left wing.

HOW TO PLAYThe point passes to the right wing as the trailer flashes to the ball-side elbow. Reverse the ball through the point to the left wing as the original trailer now dives to the left low block. The right-block player flashes to the new ball-side elbow [1]. The ball handler now dribbles to the top as the point relocates to the right wing. The right wing moves to the corner. The left elbow relocates low while the left-block player shifts to the short corner [2]. The pass is made to the right side. On the catch, the point penetrates into the middle while the passer sprints to the left corner. The left block pins the baseline defender, then spins and leaps in anticipation of an alley-oop pass.

TECHNIQUEThis play is effective because at one point four offensive players are along the baseline, making it difficult for the defense to match up.

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 47 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 5

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2 As the dribbling at the top pulls the defense away, these two players shift into position near the left side of the baseline

The trailer moves with the ball - first to the right elbow, then to the left block as the ball is reversed

Dribbling toward the top brings defenders and attention away from

the left side of the floor

Make the pass to the right and relocate immediately as no one in the zone is available to cover the left corner at this point

Pin the defender along the baseline, then spin while keeping the defender on the back for a lob pass

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

Ball reversal shifts the perimeter defense and forces defenders out of position

Zone Post Plays

Low Double Screen Opens Shooting Start the action to the left, then use perimeter dribbling and a well-timed low double screen to create an open 3-point shot from the right corner

WHY USE ITHave your set plays utilize a lot of movement to keep the defense shifting while possibly creating additional scoring opportunites.

SET UPThe player who ends up with the open 3-point shot begins with the ball on the left wing. All five players are at the free-throw-line extended or higher.

HOW TO PLAYThe ball handler passes left then immediately receives a return pass. On the catch, a pass is made to the right. The left wing runs toward the baseline and emerges on the right side off a double screen [1]. Coming off the double screen, a pass is made to the curling player. The player on the left block sprints and sets a ball screen. The ball handler dribbles into the middle of the floor [2]. The player in the right corner relocates to the wing on the dribble penetration. A pass then is made to him as the weak-side wing streaks along the baseline off a low double screen. A pass is made to the corner for the open 3-pointer [3].

TECHNIQUEWhen the ball handler penetrates into the middle, give him the green light to attack the rim if the defense leaves the middle open.

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 47 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 6

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2 If the middle is open on the dribble penetration, have this player attack the rim and score

Your shooter starts with the ball and executes a quick pass to the left, receives a return then fires a

pass to the right to shift the defense

Keep an eye on this player as the defensive focus is on the other side of the floor

Sprint hard along the baseline off the double screen, catch the ball in

rhythm and shoot before the defense recovers

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

A player capable of breaking down a defense with the dribble starts on the left wing - he or she catches the initial pass and returns it immediately before sprinting to the opposite side

Corner 3-Point Play

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